1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to playground apparatus such as slides and chutes, and more particularly to such playground apparatus having at least one longitudinally extending tubular channel with an opening at an upper end and an opening at a lower end through which objects and materials may be passed from the upper end and discharged from the lower end to provide amusement and also replace material beneath the slide or support structure which may otherwise be worn way or displaced after a period of time by the foot traffic of persons using the slide.
2. Brief description of the Prior Art
A typical playground slide or chute has an inclined elongate longitudinal bedway along which a person slides. The upper end of the slide or chute may be supported at the top of a ladder or a deck supported a distance above the ground surface by posts or columns. The longitudinal bedway of slides and chutes incorporate a variety of sliding path configurations, such as curved or spiral, and may have have hoods at the entrance to the bedway the require the user to sit down before getting on the bedway. In some instances the slides and chutes may have a plurality of laterally adjacent bedways. Many prior art slides have a longitudinal side wall at each lateral side of the bedway, and an outwardly rounded or tubular hand rail at the top of each side wall.
More recently, playground slides and chutes and water slides of molded plastic construction have been developed. Some molded slides have a longitudinal side wall at each lateral side of the bedway and/or an outwardly rounded surface along laterally opposed sides of the longitudinal portion on which a person slides which serves as a hand rail. Other conventional molded slides and chutes are hollow cylindrical tunnel-like configurations or have a hood which covers at least the upper portion or entrance to the bedway. Still others are connected at their upper end with an elevated deck.
In most installations the ground surface surrounding the slide or chute is covered with loose or soft materials such as sand, sawdust, loose soil, wood bark, or other materials for safety purposes. However, it is common for the loose material to become displaced or worn away after periods of continued use due to the foot traffic of the users.
As a result, pathways are worn in the ground cover beneath the deck and deep depressions are commonly formed in the ground surface at the bottom of a slide or chute. These pathways and depressions present a hazard to children playing on the equipment and can cause falling or damage to the muscles or ligaments and/or injury to the foot, ankle and legs of the users. These pathways and depressions will also become filled with water following a rain making the playground equipment unusable for a period of time.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a means for replacing the loose ground cover materials beneath the deck and slide to prevent deep depressions and pathways from forming in the ground surface at the bottom of the slide, chute or deck. The present invention provides a solution to this problem, and in addition to reducing the likelihood of injury to children playing on the equipment, provides amusement for the children using the equipment and thus facilitates its continued implementation.
Various playground slides and chutes are known in the art, however none address the problem solved by the present invention.
Thornton, U.S. Pat. No. 1,680,753 discloses a slide of galvanized steel construction having an inclined elongate longitudinal bedway, upwardly bent side walls at each lateral side of the bedway, a cylindrical roll at the top of each side wall, and a pipes disposed vertically above each side wall which are secured in sockets at their upper ends.
Lamar, U.S. Pat. No. 1,888,350 discloses a sheet metal slide having an inclined elongate longitudinal bedway, and inverted U-shaped rails or tubular rails at each lateral side of the bedway which are closed at their top and bottom ends by metal plugs. The rails are secured to the bedway by bolts which pass through the center of the rails.
Ahrens, U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,943 discloses a hollow cylindrical molded slide having an elongate longitudinal spiral bedway. The lowermost section is a U-shaped apron having upwardly facing lateral side edges with protective tubes extending along the side edges of the apron section.
The present invention is distinguished over the prior art in general, and these patents in particular by playground apparatus such as slides or chutes having an elongate bedway with a longitudinal portion on which a person slides and at least one longitudinally extending tubular channel having an opening at an upper end and an opening at a lower end through which objects and materials may be passed from the upper end and discharged from the lower end. The tubular channels may be formed integral with the slide or chute or may be provided as separate members for attachment to existing slides, chutes, and support columns. The tubular channels may be disposed on an underside of the bedway, on laterally opposed sides of the bedway, and on curved hood portions with a pair of elongate tubular channels extending therefrom along laterally opposed sides of the bedway each having an opening at a lower end. Longitudinal tubular channels may also be connected with the elevated deck support structure from which the upper end of the slide or chute is supported. Passing materials through the channels provides amusement and at the same time replaces material beneath the exit end of the bedway or beneath the deck which may otherwise be worn way or displaced after a period of time by the foot traffic of persons using the slide.